The use of drones for such things as inspecting dams, assessing foundation crack, avoiding hazards, accessing unstable terrain and in disaster recovery areas is become increasingly common in engineering projects.
However, drones have to be controlled from the ground and can be restricted in some airspace. Enter the tethered drone, which, despite its lack of maneuverability, frees up the operator and can be assured to not intrude into airspace. Tethered drones use a hardware tether (as thin as a headphone cord) from the ground to the craft to provide continuous power and a constant video feed. Powering both the drone and its sensors from the ground has a number of advantages. For one, flight time is extended from less than an hour (with most current UAS) to days. Additionally, a tether can supply more power than a battery, which means larger motors and heavier payloads.
Sky Sapience’s newest generation tethered UAV platform, HoverMast- Lite (HM-L1 and HM-L3) is designed to function as smaller, light-weight versions of the company’s flagship HoverMast platform. The HM-L systems will be used in tandem with small robotic vehicles participating in the RCV/SMET programs.
The HM-L systems maintain the impressive capabilities of the original HoverMast product line; such as 100m hovering, 24/7/365, autonomous, on the move, bad weather operations, fiber optic communication, cyber immunity and operation in GPS denied environments, while also meeting the size, weight and electric power requirements of the RCV and SMET programs.
The unique design concept behind the HoverMast-Lite enables the tethered drone and sensors operation without limiting the vehicle's continuous work. Moreover, the HM-L does not occupy the vehicle's bed, allowing it to remain available for additional equipment and sensors. The HM-L concept is internationally patent protected.
The HoverMast-Lite has the ability to incorporate most payloads weighing up to 6.0 kg; including CCD/IR cameras, radars, lasers, cellular and mesh communication devices, hyperspectral sensors and cyber systems.
The HM-Lite and its payload are both easily and intuitively controlled and monitored from a single ruggedised Human Machine Interface (UHMI).
Find a video on the new HoverMast-Lite HERE
